In the world of home heating and cooling, energy efficiency is a big buzzword right now. There’s plenty of new equipment coming on line devoted to energy efficiency, as well as new programs and rebates designed to help Woburn homeowners and their neighbours in surrounding towns reduce costs as they increase their efficiency.
At 128 Plumbing, we’re experienced in all aspects of this kind of energy efficiency—heating, cooling, plumbing and electricity. Here are some steps you can take to achieve energy efficiency in your home with our ongoing help.
Evaluate Your Electric System
Having an electric bill is unavoidable, but there’s no reason it has to be exceptionally high or exorbitant. When we conduct a home energy assessment, we can help you cut your electric bill by recommending energy efficient appliances, evaluating your furnace and boiler, and making other appropriate recommendations for your Woburn home.
Service Your Furnace to Become More Efficient
While most of the focus is on new furnaces when it comes to energy efficiency, older ones in Woburn, Melrose, Wakefield and other nearby towns can become more energy efficient with regular servicing from 128 Plumbing.
That means replacing worn parts, cleaning filters and ensuring adequate air movement throughout the system, and all of these checks and procedures are part of our home efficiency maintenance and service programs.
Regular Maintenance for Your Heating Cooling Systems
While it’s a great idea to purchase new furnaces and boilers that are energy efficient, there’s an easier and less expensive way to attain the ultimate numbers when it comes to energy efficiency—regular maintenance.
This kind of maintenance is essential to ensure proper operation of appliances, heating system components, your air conditioning system and so on, but focusing this maintenance on energy efficiency can help take things to the next level for you.
Whether you’re in Woburn, Burlington, Arlington or another eastern Massachusetts town, the ongoing cost of regular maintenance will be offset by the money you save on your energy bill. We’ll be able to spot the necessary parts replacements in advance and help you avoid repairs that otherwise would have cost you thousands of dollars.
Consider a Heat Pump
When it comes to energy efficiency, heat pumps are a central element when it comes to making it happen.
Let’s use the example of an electric heat system. It’s very energy efficient—close to 100 percent, in fact. But it’s also one of the most expensive ways you can choose to heat your Woburn home, which is one of several reasons why you should consider switching over to a heat pump.
The energy efficiency boost you’ll receive can be phenomenal. The efficiency number for heat pumps can be as high as almost 300 percent, which means you’ll be keeping a lot of money in your pocket.
And considering that heat pumps are becoming entrenched as the go to way to do home heating, you’ll be future proofing your house as well.
Update Your Furnace and Boiler to Become More Energy Efficient
If you’re not ready to take the step up to a heat pump, you should consider updating your furnace or boiler. There are plenty of great energy efficient units available with ratings that are over 90 percent, and we can help you find the right one for your home.
Seal and Insulate Your Windows and Doors to Become More Energy Efficient
Many people believe that buying and upgrading to energy efficient windows and doors will make you more efficient, and they definitely help. But there’s more to it than that. If the seals around your windows and doors aren’t tight, you’ll have trouble getting those energy benefits for your Woburn home.
And if your home doesn’t have the proper insulation that can be specified through an energy evaluation, much of the money you spend can go for naught.
Evaluate Your Appliances
Dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators and common devices all add to your electric bill and your home energy costs, and those additions can be substantial. Each individual item may add a small amount, but as an aggregate they can be costly.
At 128 Plumbing, we can help you with this. We can help break down your appliance costs and recommend upgrades, and we know the brands well enough to help you select the perfect appliances for your home.
We can also make recommendations on when and how to run them that will save you a lot of money as you become more energy efficient. And we’ll help you clean and maintain them as you continue to use them to make sure they’re operating at peak efficiency.
Automate Your Woburn Home Heating and Cooling
Most people know about the benefits of zone heating in their home, but many are unaware of the benefits a smart thermostat can provide.
Let’s say you turn in at 11 PM. It’s easy to forget to turn the thermostat down when you call it a night, but a smart thermostat can do that for you automatically.
Even better, you can control your thermostat from anywhere with the right app. That means you have instant control over your Woburn home temperature with your phone, which can save you hundreds of dollars annually.
You can also lower your electric bill by using the same kind of automated control with your lights. Dimming them or shutting them off automatically using an app and a program is another subtle but effective way to bump up your savings.
Wrap Your Water Heater and Lower the Temperature Setting
Your water heater represents about 20 percent of your energy bill, but you can cut your costs with a couple of simple procedures.
One is to wrap your heater in an insulated blanket to cut heat loss. These blankets are readily available at big box home stores, and they’re well worth the investment.
Tighten up Your Ductwork
Think of your ductwork as your home’s lungs. They allow airflow, and if they’re sealed appropriately ductwork will help keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Tight ductwork also helps your heating and cooling system work properly. Having it cleaned and serviced regularly in Woburn, Reading and the surrounding towns is an important part of being energy efficient.
Invest in a 128 Plumbing Energy Audit & Home Maintenance Program
Evaluating your home’s energy efficiency can be confusing when you try to size up all the options and cut costs, but at 128 Plumbing we have years of experience helping Woburn homeowners and their neighbours in other Massachusetts towns meet their energy goals.
We can do a home energy assessment that will help you understand your situation, and we can also make appropriate recommendations about your home energy system, heating and cooling system, appliances, and so on.
Contact Us Today!
Whether you’re in Woburn, Arlington, Medford, or Wakefield, the process starts with a phone call. The numbers are (888) 419-4233 or (781) 670-3261.
We’ll answer your questions and guide you through the process, and we can also schedule you for a home heating efficiency visit to evaluate your current system and give you an idea of what your best options are going forward.
To get even more information, you can also go to 128Plumbing.com and start a live chat, and we have some great blogs and articles there to help educate you about home heating energy efficiency and tell you everything you need to know in Woburn and beyond.
